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Saudi Arabia urged to spare Sri Lankan migrant worker sentenced to death over Facebook post
Overview
A 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, Anojan Sivarasa, has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for blasphemy after posting a comment on Facebook during an online dispute. Initially given a prison sentence and a fine, his punishment was upgraded to the death penalty after an appellate court accepted a prosecution request to try him under Sharia law. Sri Lankan authorities, religious leaders, and family members are pursuing diplomatic efforts and clemency to secure his pardon.
Key points
- Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, faces the death penalty for blasphemy over a Facebook comment.
- The comment was posted in response to an online argument stemming from an incident during a Hindu pilgrimage in Sri Lanka.
- Although he deleted the comment and posted an apology, individuals in Sri Lanka reported it to his employer and Saudi authorities.
- An initial sentence of five years in prison and a fine was changed to the death penalty after an appellate court granted a prosecution request to apply Sharia law.
- The Sri Lankan government, president, and cross-religious leaders are coordinating diplomatic efforts and legal assistance to seek a presidential pardon and clemency.